New Beginnings : April 1971
by AnonHPWriter
Summary: An extension of the New Beginnings world. Warning - this story does contain the spanking of a child. AU


**April 1971**

James sighed loudly as he picked up his trainers from where he had kicked them off at the backdoor.

"Thank you." Her voice was gentle despite her frustration with her child.

It was just days after the boy's birthday. Perhaps his most important birthday so far, at least in James' eyes. He had turned eleven and his letter from Hogwarts had finally arrived. His parents had taken him out to dinner for his birthday and to celebrate his letter arriving. They had also purchased him quite an expensive broom to practice his Quidditch skills with as well. Despite that, James' mood had been less than pleasant in the days following his birthday. He had in fact been downright cheeky.

"Whatever," James muttered under his breath as he started towards the parlor, his trainers in his hand.

Lydia's lips pressed into a tight line as she forced herself to ignore the comment. She rarely lost her patience with her child. So rarely in fact, that she could count on one hand the number of times it had happened.

James walked into the parlor, rolling his eyes as he saw his father sitting in his armchair, the morning paper in his hands.

"Already done outside?" Charles questioned his eyes not leaving the words he was reading.

"Obviously," James replied in a cheeky tone as he moved towards the staircase. "I'm inside

aren't I?"

Charles lowered the paper, his eyebrows raising as he looked at his son. "James," he said in a warning tone. "Watch your cheek please."

"I'm not even being cheeky! You think that everything is being cheeky, even just talking." The boy stomped up the staircase. A moment later his bedroom door slammed shut so loudly that it caused the house to shake slightly with the force of it.

Charles found himself closing his eyes and slowly counting backwards from ten. As his eyes opened once more, Lydia appeared in the parlor.

"What has gotten into him?" His tone was exasperated.

Lydia gave a soft shrug before moving over to gently rub her husband's shoulder. "He is growing up. Growing pains I suppose."

"Growing up does not excuse such behavior. If anything there should be less of it."

"I'm not quite sure that is how it works Love," Lydia said softly. "I'm afraid it may be the complete opposite actually. He _is _approaching the teenage years."

"He is a week over eleven." Charles raised an eyebrow as he looked up at his wife. "He needs to remember that he is far from too old to go over my knee. I am not going to put up with this attitude from our eleven year old. He knows better than to stomp around and slam his door." Charles paused as he let out an annoyed sigh. "I think that new broom of his should spend some time on the ground."

Lydia frowned at the words. She knew how much their child enjoyed flying. He had been practicing daily in some attempt to get on the Quidditch team come September even though he knew first years were not allowed to participate.

"You disagree?" Charles looked up at his wife.

"No," she shook her head. "I agree that he should have a consequence for this new attitude he has. I just know that he adores his broom and flying. I feel bad for him."

"If he did not enjoy what I intend to take away it would hardly be a punishment."

The words were barely out of the man's mouth when the door above them slammed shut once more. A moment later the sound of stomping feet was heard.

"James," Lydia said in a soft warning tone as the boy stomped down the stairs. Her tone was so soft that she wasn't even certain her child had heard her.

"'M goin' out to fly," James said in an annoyed tone as he started past his parents.

"Actually," Charles cleared his throat. "You are not. This attitude that you are insistent on having has left me no choice but to decide that your broom will be on the ground for the next few days."

"That's not fair! James stomped his foot, his cheeks instantly prickling at how immature his action had been.

Charles felt the sternness taking over his features as he shook his head. "Your behavior today has been atrocious at best and from what I understand this cheek has been going on all week."

"I'm not even being cheeky!" James leaned against the back of the couch. "I've barely been all week."

Charles opened his mouth to reply but before he could get a word out Lydia spoke. "Can you really say, in good conscience, that you have not been cheeky all week?"

James felt his annoyance rise at her words. She was nearly always on his side! "Yes," he answered in an irritated tone.

Shock took over Lydia's face as she gave her only child a disbelieving look. "I have been asking you for four days now to tidy your room and you have completely ignored me. In fact, several times when I reminded you, you rolled your eyes and muttered under your breath. Is that not cheek?"

James' eyes rolled without his consent at her words. "I _will _clean it. I just haven't had time."

"Haven't had time? All you have been doing is riding your new broom." She paused, giving her son a small smile. "I know that you love your broom and flying but that does not mean that you can completely disregard your father and I when we ask you to do something."

"Nor does it mean that you are allowed to act like a cheeky brat to either of us." Charles' tone was stern. "You know better. You were raised better."

James made an annoyed sound at the words. It was rare that his parents ganged up on him and he hated it. "I'm not a cheeky brat."

"Then stop acting like it and behave properly!" Charles pointed a finger towards the staircase. "Go clean that room of yours like your mother has been asking you to do. When you are done you and I will be discussing just how long your broom will be on the ground."

"That's not fair!" James nearly yelled. "It's _my _broom!"

"Having a broom is a privilege. One that you have taken advantage of." Charles refrained from commenting on the fact that his child had just raised his voice at him. "I think that you should earn your broom back with good behavior."

"Dad no!" James moved to the side of the couch, leaning against the arm. "You aren't being fair!"

"Is it fair to your mum and I when you behave poorly or speak rudely to us? We did nothing to deserve such treatment. In fact, we ask very little of you."

James huffed at the words as he attempted to stand his ground. "I'm not a bloody little kid. You don't need to treat me like one!"

"You are not quite grown just yet." Charles' lips set in a tight line as he refrained from commenting on his child's choice of words. "If this poor behavior continues you are going to find your rear end being thoroughly introduced to the slipper."

It wasn't the first time that James had heard the threat. For the past few months his dad had been making it. James had yet to give him a reason to follow through. Despite that, the eleven year old still blushed involuntarily.

"Dad!" James rolled his eyes at the man's words despite the fact that the threat had caused his cheeks to burn with embarrassment. "You can't do that. I'm not a little kid!"

Charles felt his annoyance grow at the fact that his child was telling him what he could and could not do and on top of that rolling his eyes at him. "This cheeky attitude that you have adopted is unacceptable." The man crooked a finger to his child.

"Dad no!" James refused to move even a step in the direction of his father. "Mum!" He gave her a pleading look. "Tell dad to stop!"

Lydia's lips set in a tight line as she willed herself to remain stern. "I think that you need to obey your father."

A loud noise that could only be described as a whine escaped James' lips as he took a step in his father's direction. "I'm not even bein' cheeky though!"

Charles raised an eyebrow at the words. "You have been nothing but cheeky." He crooked a finger at his son once more. "And now you are being defiant."

"I'm not!" James insisted though he stayed rooted to his spot, still several feet away from where his father was sitting.

"This is your final chance to walk yourself over here to me. If you continue to be defiant and argue with me, you are going to find yourself going over my knee at your bedtime tonight for that alone."

It was another threat that the child had heard in the past. Another threat that his father had never acted on and James hardly wanted to give him a reason to do so. The words were barely out of Charles' mouth when James jumped to attention and moved over to his father. "You are mad at me for no reason!" James insisted as he stood in front of his father.

"For no reason?" Charles gave his child a stern look. "If the cheek I saw today is even close to what your mother has been dealing with all week then I would say that there is plenty of reason for me to be cross with you." His right hand moved to gently tap James' on his left hip. "Aside from that, your mum has been asking you to clean your room for days and you have been ignoring her request."

"I haven't been ignoring her," James argued as he looked over at his mother with a pitiful expression. "I've just been busy and it's stupid! She could just use magic and clean it in a second."

Charles opened his mouth to reply but before he could his wife beat him to it. "You are right" she said gently. "I could use magic and clean it for you. My doing so however, would teach you very little. It is important that you learn to take care of your things."

"I do take care of my things," James scowled. "But it's stupid! I could spend an hour cleaning it or you could do it in a minute."

Once more Lydia spoke before her husband could, her tone still soft despite her son's words. "Unfortunately for you, that will not be happening. I think that since you are unable to take your broom back out this afternoon you should spend your time tidying up your bedroom."

"No!" James nearly stomped his foot once more. He stopped himself at the last minute, knowing that doing so would only make him look childish. "That's just stupid mum. You are being dumb!"

The second that the words came out of James' mouth he felt his father's hand make contact with his rear end. An instant sting settled in causing the child's eyes to fill with tears as his mother's did as well.

"What did you just say to your mother?" Charles asked in a low serious tone as he turned the child to the side, allowing him better access to his target. His left hand took a firm yet gentle grip on his son's arm.

"I'm sorry," James whispered desperately. He sucked in his breath, mentally cursing himself for his words and his actions. He was having a hard time remembering why he hadn't just agreed with his mum and gone upstairs to clean his room.

Charles shook his head firmly as he landed a second stinging swat to his child's backside. "Don't you _ever _speak to your mother like that!" The man was well past fed up. He had been hearing about his son's poor behavior for days now. However, hearing about it and witnessing it first hand were quite different. In James' eleven years, Charles had never heard him speak to his mother in such a way. He was sure that he had never been so disappointed in his child. "She does not deserve such treatment!" He brought his hand down a third time on the small wiggling rear end before turning James back to face him once more. "I had better _never_ hear you speak to her in such a way again!"

"I'm sorry," James repeated the words, tears now streaming from his eyes as he moved his free arm, his hand attempting to brush the tears away. A useless task as they were still falling. "I am!"

"I am not the person that you should be apologizing to."

James looked over at his mother, his breath hitching slightly before he took a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry mummy. Really I am! I didn't mean it!" He gave her a pleading look. He was hopeful that if she just forgave him his father would let this whole thing go. He could go clean his room like she had asked and he would be absolutely perfectly behaved for the rest of his life.

Lydia nodded as she brushed a tear from her cheek. She had never experienced her child speaking so harshly about her and she did not care for it at all. "It is okay," she breathed softly. "I know that you did not mean it."

"I _really_ didn't," James pressed as his free hand moved without his permission to his bum in a desperate attempt to rub the sting out of it. The tears were still streaming down his face, dripping off of his chin. "I'm dumb! Not you!"

Lydia smiled sadly as she raised her hand, waving the child over to her. "Come here."

Charles let go of his grip on the boy's arm, allowing him to walk over to his mother.

The moment that James was close enough, Lydia pulled him into a tight hug against her chest. "It is okay," she hushed him softly. "You were upset and spoke in anger. I know that it will not happen again."

James wrapped his arms tightly around his mother's waist, his face buried in the soft fabric of her dress. "I swear that it won't mumma," James spoke softly through his tears, his breath hitching. "I promise."

"Then we will not speak of it again." Lydia leaned down placing a gentle kiss on the top of her son's head before she squeezed him a bit tighter. "I love you very much and you my young Sir are far from dumb." Her fingertips gently poked his side as she hummed softly. "I do not want to hear you refer to yourself in such a way again."

James nodded against her. "You aren't either. I promise you aren't."

Lydia leaned down, placing a second kiss on her son's head of unruly hair. She opened her mouth but before she could speak, her husband cleared his throat loudly causing her to look up at him.

"I think that you have coddled him quite enough." Charles stood from his armchair and took the four steps to where his wife and son stood. He placed a firm hand on James shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I think that James and I are a bit overdue for a conversation in my study."

"Nooo," James whined softly as his grip on his mother tightened. "I said I'm sorry. I'll go clean my room and everything!"

"Yes you will," Charles agreed as his fingertips tapped against the small shoulder. "After we discuss your behavior over the past few days."

"No!" James stomped his foot as he released his grip on his mother.

Charles' eyes narrowed on the boy as he moved James back a step and then turned him in the direction of the study. "That is quite enough," he spoke sternly. "You are eleven years old and the behavior I have witnessed and heard about is more fitting to a six year old." The man led the child firmly out of the parlor and towards his study.

"I didn't mean it," James said softly. His tears had slowed a considerable amount however, they were still slowly falling. "I'll be good now!"

Charles raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his child. "If we were talking about one moment of misbehavior, I would easily excuse it. Unfortunately though we are talking about several days' worth of poor behavior as well as speaking to your mother in a completely unacceptable way." Charles pushed his study door open with his free hand, leading his child inside.

Had it been just a little over a year prior, Charles would have walked the boy directly into the corner. Just before James had turned ten, he had expressed his extreme displeasure at being made to do so. Charles was sure that most parents would refuse to stop a punishment simply because the child being punished disliked it. After all, punishment was not supposed to be enjoyable. Despite this, Charles had listened to his son's feelings and had agreed that he would refrain from sending him to the corner if it could be helped.

James let out a small sigh of relief as his dad guided him over to one of the chairs in front of his desk. He had half expected to be put in the corner and he was sure that if he was he would not have been able to keep silent about his feelings on the matter.

Charles sat down in the wooden straight back chair in front of his desk, pulling his child to the space between his knees.

James' gaze immediately fell to his dad's knee. He could not bring himself to look the man in the face.

A soft sign escaped Charles' lips as he leaned down in an attempt to see his son's face. He was beginning to feel horrible at the idea of punishing the boy. Not that it wasn't deserved. Still, the child had been very apologetic over the past few moments. Charles was sure that he could give James a stern scolding and get his point across just as well. "What is the cause of all this sudden cheek? Is there something going on that I am unaware of?"

James shook his head, his gaze remaining down. "No," he said with a sniffle.

"No?" Charles raised a curious eyebrow. "You do not have a reason? You simply felt like being rude to your mum all week?"

James shook his head once more. "No." He looked up at the man. "I dunno why."

Charles' hand moved to gently brush a tear from his son's cheek. "You know better." His tone was gentle. "I know that you do."

James was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah but…" His words trailed off as he shook his head slightly, his right hand moving in a balled up fist to rub at his eye.

"But what?"

James let out an annoyed sigh. "I wasn't even that cheeky!" The attitude that the child had displayed earlier began to appear once more. "And it is dumb that I have to clean my room. You and mum could clean it in a second with magic!"

"As your mum already explained to you, our doing so wouldn't teach you to take care of your things." Charles tone became stern once more.

James eyes rolled at the man's words before he could stop them from doing so. "That's a stupid reason though!"

Charles felt the sympathy that he had felt for his son vanish as he took James by the hand and carefully moved him to his side. "I am done with your cheekiness. I am also done with those eyes of yours rolling."

"I'm sorry!" James gave the man a desperate look.

"I am also done with the empty apologies." The man reached out undoing his son's jeans. "You appear to be in need of a reminder in how I expect you to behave."

James instantly took a half of a step backwards, shaking his head furiously. "I don't need a reminder! I promise!"

Charles took his child by the hand, gently pulling him back to his side. He kept James' hand in his own as his free hand reached out and picked up a quill from his desk silently transfiguring it into an old worn leather slipper.

James felt his breath catch in his throat at his father's action, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. "Daaaddy no!"

Charles forced himself to swallow a smirk at the manner in which his child had just addressed him. Just a week prior when the Hogwarts letter had appeared at breakfast, James had instantly stopped calling his parents mummy and daddy and began calling them mum and dad. Lydia had informed Charles that when she had questioned their son about it, James had rolled his eyes and explained that he was too old to call them by baby names. Clearly, in the moment, the child had not felt quite so mature.

"You were warned numerous times," Charles replied as he placed the slipper on the desk in front of him and quickly lowered his child's jeans.

"Not a slipper!" The tears rushed down James' face once more. "Please no!"

Charles ignored the child's pleading as he quickly guided him over his lap. The man hooked his fingers into the small underpants, lowering them as far as needed.

"Daaaaaddy!" James whined loudly in protest as he kicked up his feet. "Don't!"

Charles' left arm wrapped firmly around the eleven year old before he raised his right hand and brought it down in a stinging smack.

"Owwwww!" James whined loudly as he took a tight handful of his father's pant leg. "I'm sorry!"

Charles forced his heart to harden as he allowed his hand to fall several more times. "I appreciate your apology immensely James. I hope this puts a stop to the poor attitude you have been displaying."

"It will!" James promised before he yelped loudly, his father's hand making contact with the undercurve of his bum. "I'll be good!"

Charles paused for a moment, looking down at the now dark pink backside on display. "We are nearly done here." The man leaned forward, picking up the slipper from his desk.

James' breath caught in his throat as he let out a loud whine. "Daaaaaaddy!"

Before the child could get himself too worked up, Charles raised the slipper and brought it down firmly on his target. He had hardly put much force behind it, however, the sound that it elicited when it made contact with the unprotected skin would have left anyone thinking that it had been much harder.

A loud wail escaped James at the sound causing Charles to flinch. The man quickly let the slipper fall twice more before he dropped it to his side. The hand that had been holding the slipper now moved to gently rub small circles on the small of the child's back. "Okay. It is all over."

The grip that James' had on his father's pant leg didn't loosen at all, as he continued to sob into the thick cotton.

Charles continued to rub his son's back for several long moments before his fingertips tapped gently against it. "Can you get up for me? I want to talk to you little Sir."

James' stayed put for another moment before he loosened his grip on his father and slowly pulled himself up and onto his feet. The moment that he was standing properly, he leaned into his father, resting his head against the man's chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Charles leaned down, taking hold of the child's underpants and jeans and carefully returning them to their rightful place. "I forgive you." The man wrapped his arms around his son, hugging him close to his chest. "And I love you very much."

"I love you too." James wiped his face against his father's shirt.

"I think that you should lie down and rest for a bit and then when you wake, you can tidy up your room for your mum."

James nodded into his father's chest. The last thing he was going to do was disagree with the man. "Okay. I will."

Charles stood, placing a gentle hand on his son's back as he headed towards the door. "I do not want to have to address anymore cheekiness."

"You won't." James shook his head before leaning into his father's side. "I really promise."

"I trust you." Charles moved his hand to give the boy's shoulder a light squeeze as they made their way down the hall and towards the staircase.

Despite the terrible state of his bum and the fact that he was exhausted from all the tears he had cried, James couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips at his father's words. He always felt lucky at how brilliant his dad was. He was sure that other father's wouldn't say that they trusted their kid minutes after they punished them.

The pair headed up the staircase in silence, neither of them speaking another word until they crossed over into James' bedroom.

"Go on and lie down." Charles stepped over several toys but refrained from commenting on his doing so as he walked over to the large windows and closed the curtains. The man waved a hand a moment later causing the room to dim a considerable amount.

James climbed up into his bed, rolling onto his stomach. "Daddy?"

"Hmm?" Charles walked over to his child, squatting down beside him so that they were face to face.

"I'm sorry I was acting like such a git."

Charles smiled softly as he reached down and pulled the blankets up, tucking them under his son's chin. "I know that it will not continue. And it is important that you know that your mum and I love you very much, even when you act like a git."

James smiled at the words as his eyes closed. "I love you too. A lot."


End file.
